Ignition-circuit switch



Feb. 9,1926. 1,572,446-

R. H. PARKER IGNITION CIRCUIT SWITCH Fned Feb. 21, 1925 2 sheets-5116911 Febo 9 9 e 1 25 RRRRRRRR ER IGNITION CIRCUIT SWITCH Patented 9,1512-63,

Ntra 'STM IGNITION-CIRCUT SEVTCTL V'Application-led :Febr-nary 21,'1925. .Serial 'N-o. *10,891

To all whom t may con-cern.

YBe it vknown that l, Rossum, H. Pennini, a-citizen or" the -UnitedStates, residing in theicounty ot Benton vand Stateof Gregori, have.invented certain lnew and useful 1inproveinents in ignition-CircuitSwitches, of which ythe ftollowing is .a specification, reference being'had to 'the 'accompanying drawings. y

This .invention .relates .to ignition. circuit switches and :moreparticularly to `conibination switch.

.An :important .object of the .invention iis vto -iinprove .the switch`disclosed in .iny prior application, No. "672,922,1i1ed November 5,

V19.23, -for ignitioni circuit switches.

:An.iinportant-obje'ctbf the invention is .togprovide tadevice-ot'thischaracter wherein "any attempt to start .the car prior .to a

.proper setting ot the combination Aof the switch -willresult inthesounding ot an alarin orwsignal.

A lfurther .object-ot .the invention is to provide in la construction otathis character :an-arrangement such that. the warning signal .of thevehiclejmay Ibeeniployedin the capacity iet van alarm.

A .still "further .object of .the invention 4istoiprovidefa-device ofthis characterbefingef novel-and .improved .torni of coinbinationswitch.

.A further and more specific object of the Yinvention-isv-theprovisionof a combination switch ofthis character including a switch- .ing part-and contacts coacting therewith :andarranged vin pairs, the switchingpart being so constructedthat in each alignment of one-otite `pairs otcontacts, acircuit is established while ia circuit .is only establishedthrough the other pair of contacts when the arms-are .inone certainposition with .relation thereto.

These-and other objects I attain by the fcjonstruction -shown in Atheaccompanying 5 ."drawings, wherein .for .the purpose ofillus- -trationlis shown Aa {preferred einloodinient f of iny'invention and'wherein'Figure -1.is Yaperspective view of a switch lconstructed fin accord-anceYwith iny .invention;

Figure 2'is .a vertical sectional .view therethrough Figure 3 is acombined perspective ot a dial and switching `element removed;

Y .Figure -l is ay detailed sectional view taken through .the switchshowing the arrangenient ot'the contacts-and Ithe operation otl theswitching ele1uents,one^of these switching elements being shown in the.position in dotted lines where it laligns with the ignitionI circuitcompleting contactsbut does not connectthe same; and

Figure 5 is a diagrannnatic view showing the connections .preferablyemployed witha switclrot the character-shown.

Referring now niore particularly to the drawings, the switch includes acasing.;` 10 and la .dial plate Y1'1 lhaving a ,plurality ot dials 12associated therewith. The casing 10 has an outstanding flange about itsupper enges, as'indicatedat 13, and the dial platehas a body 14 fittinginto lthe upper end ot and closing thev casing, this body having anoutstanding flange 15 resting against the lflange 13 ot the casing'andheld in gagenient itherewith by securing` elements l16 rendering thedialplate 11 unreniovable `roin the casing. Embedded within the dialplate are a pair ot' longitudinally extending bars 1T and 18arrangedfupon opposite sides ot' the longitudinal center of the dialplate. .intermediate the dial plate and aligned with the longitudinalaxis are a series of contact elements 19, 20, 21 and 22. Betweenadjacent contacts 19 to 22 areinounted pivots 23.

The 4outer Ytace of the dial plate 11 is torino-1l witlrcircularrecesses 24C corresponding in number vand arrangen'ient and axial tothepivots lEachot these recesses exposes a portion ot the longitudinallyextending bars 17 and 1S and a vpair ot adjacent contact elements 19,20, 21 and 22 tor example, one recessexposes the contact 19 betweenitfand the Contact 20 than'the adjacent end of the Contact 20. rlhecontact 21 is inore nearly adjacent the pivot opening between it. andthe contact 20 than the Contact 20 and the contact 22 isinore nearlyadjacent the pivot opening-between it and the contact 21 than thecontact 21. Each of the contacts 19 to 22 is further spaced from thepivot openings than the adjacent edges of the longitudinally extendingbars 17 and 18. Directed through each opening 23 from the inner face ofthe dial plate and having its head arranged inwardly of the dial plateis a headed securing element 25. On the outer ends of these securingelements which form pivots are secured dials 12. Each dial has a portion27 rotatably fitting into the associated recess 24;, a knob 28 by meansof which it may be turned and a flange 29 overlying the face of a dialplate at the edges of the recess 24. The outer face of each dial isprovided with indicia 30 adapted to be associated with an indicatingpoint 31 formed upon the dial plate face. These indicia and indicatorpoints are preferably of illuminous material so that the action of thedials may be observed in darkness as well as by day. Each dial hasformed in its under surface a plurality of circularly arranged openings32 adapted to interchangeably receive a pair of pins 33, these pinspreferably diamet-rically arranged are adapted to extend through thebody portion 34 of a` switching element. This body por tion has afurther central opening 35 for the passage of the pivot 25. The pins 33being interchangeable in the openings provide a means for adjusting thebody ofthe switching element about the dial so that it will take aposition with relation to the dial coresponding to a desired indicia 30of the dia.

The body 34 of the switching element and in fact theentire switchingelement is formed from resilient material such as spring brass, copperor bronze and has projecting from opposite Sides thereof arms 36 and 37being hereinafter referred to as the short and long arms of theswitching element. The short arm is of sufficient length to make contactwith the contact elements 19, 20, 21 or 22 which is adjacent to but mostremote from the pivot about which the switching element rotates and ofsufficient length to engage the contact which is most nearly adjacentwhile the long arm 37 is of sufficient length to engage the niost remotecontact when aligned therewith. The short arm 36 is, however, ofsufficient length to engage either of the bars 17 or 18 when moved outof alignment with the series of contacts 10 to 22 and the long arm will,of course, make such contact. It will be seen that by the aboveconstruction, the switching element will only make a connection betweenadjacent contacts of the series 19 to 22 when one posit-ion of theassociated dial is had and that in all other positions thereof a contactis established between the bars 17 and 18. When all of the dials arearranged in their proper positions, a circuit is established from thecont-act 19 to the contact 22 but when any of the dials is not in itsproper position, a circuit is established between the bars 17 and 18.

In the use of the device, the casing 10 is intended to enclose anecessary portion of the ignition circuit preferably the ignition coil,as indicated. rhis coil will have its input terminal, as more clearlyshown in the diagrammatic view of Figure 5 connected to the contact 19and its output terminal connected to the interrupter of the circuitwhile the high tension terminal of the coil will be connected in itsusual manner to the distributor proper. T he battery B of the circuit isconnected to the terminal 22 and to one terminal of the starter switchas shown. The second terminal of the starter switch is connected to thecontact strip 18 and the horn of the vehicle is connected to the contactstrip 17. lVith connections as above described, until the dials are allproperly arranged, it is impossible to complete a circuit through thecoil to provide the necessary high tension current for operation of amotor. Furthermore, it will be obvious that when the starter switch isclosed, a circuit will be established to the horn with the result thatthe same will be operated until all of the dials are properly arrangedor until the foot is released from the starter. Further attention isdirected to the fact that the only means provided for cutting 0H theignition circuit is the dials 12 and accordingly if the operator of thevehicle stops his engine, at least one of these dials must be shiftedfrom its circuit closing position, thus locking the combination. Sincethe operators attention will be directed to the dials in shifting one ofthese dials, in all probability he would shift all of the dials beforeleaving the machine whereas if the circuit could be destroyed by anignition switch, it would be very possible that the operator would cutoff the engine by use of this switch and forget to shift the positionsof any of the dials so that if the ignition switch was closed, thecircuit would again be properly completed.

It will of course be understood that the particular shape or arrangementof the plate 11 is a matter of choice and the present illustration isbut one of many forms which this plate may assume. It will also beunderstood that the casing` will be provided with the usual terminallugs ll() for making the necessary connections to the switch. Inaddition to this, the coil box or casing 10 is preferably so formed thatthe recessed lug -11 of the coil may project through an opening 1-2formed in one end of this casing so that ready access may be had theretoin making the high tension connections to the switch.

Since the structure hereinbefore set forth is obviously capable ofcertain modifications without materially departing from the spirit of myinvention, l do not limit myself to such specific structure except ashereinafter claimed.

I claim i. ln z. switch, a plurality of contact elements arranged inpairs, a switch element for connecting the contacts of the pairs andalignahle in either ot' two positions, cach pair ot contacts connectingthe contacts oi one 3f said pairs at each alignment therewith and thecontacts of the other pair only upon a predetermined alignmenttherewith.

2. In a switch, two pairs of contact elements, a rotating element forconnecting said pairs of contacts and connecting one pair of contacts atall times when it is not in alignment with the other pair ot' contacts7said other pair of contacts being uneqnally spaced from the pivot of theconnecting men'iber7 said connecting member haring arms for coactionwith said contacts ottl unequal length, the shorter or said arms beingo' insnfticient length to make contact with the contact ot said otherpair most remote :from said pivot.

3. in a switch, a pivot switching element embodying' oppositely directedarms, a pair oi" contacts associated therewith and spaced apart adistance equal to the distance between opposite ends ot' the arms, saidcontacts being arranged upon opposite sides of the pivot ot saidswitching element and being dillerently spaced from said pivot wherebythe switching element when aligned with sach contacts in one positionthereof connects the contacts and in the opposite position thereoiItails to connect the same, and a second pair oic contacts associatedwith said switching element and with which the arms of the switchingelement make contact at all times when the arms o' the switching elementare not alinged with the lirst named contacts.

n Yestimony whereotl I hereunto aiiix my signature.

RUSSELL H. PARKER.

